What is the Rapture?

The Rapture is a Christian belief that Jesus will come back for his followers and "rapture" then up when he comes back for his followers.

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

1 Corinthians 15:51-55 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed -- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"

Myth or Real?

About 85% of Christians who actually study the Bible, believe in The Rapture, the Tribulation, and a 1,000 year reign when Jesus will reign together with the resurrected saints.

Some say The Rapture is false teaching, but it based on two basic beliefs:

(1) It was first announced by theologian J. N. Darby after a 15 year old Scottish girl, named Margaret MacDonald had an alleged prophetic vision;

and (2) The Rapture was not taught by the early church.

What Takes Place After the Rapture?

After The Rapture, God will begin to execute judgment against unbelievers during a period called The Tribulation. The will be a world leader who will falsely lead the remaining people into believing that he will bring peace, some call this world leader the Anti-Christ. And after that, then he will bring three and a half years of "war."

After the Tribulation, every nation will attack Israel, when Jesus will return to lead the armies of Heaven. Some call this war Armageddon. During this battle, everyone who is not a believer will be destroyed and Satan will be bound for a thousand years. This is when Jesus will set a kingdom, some call The Millennial Kingdom. But there will be some who will not be loyal to Jesus, so after the thousand year reign, Jesus will release Satan to tempt those still on earth.

After all this, Jesus will judge all who ever lived giving rewards and punishments, and those who were destroyed will be cast into the "Lake of Fire," some call "Hell." Then God will destroy the earth that was polluted with sin, and create a new "earth" for those who were saved, and rule the new earth forever.